The rocking chair has always been a signature piece in the living room. Its rocking sound, similar to a lullaby, makes your mind relax.

These chairs come in eye-pleasing patterns and styles and are available in a variety of finishes and fabrics like wrought iron, aluminium, cedar wood, rosewood, birch wood, teak deodar, cane, denim, leather and PVC. The hues and the effect depend largely on the grading techniques using sunlight.

Rocking chairs can be bought or be hand-made to specifications at a number of showrooms in Bangalore such as The Vintage shop on Airport Road, Pete's furniture in Indiranagar, East distribution in Forum, Koramangala, and The Cane boutique in Domlur. The motifs on the chairs could have Victorian touch, Goan touch and netted or rustic touch.

To add elegance and make your chair more comfortable, adding upholstery is an option. You could also add the serpent's hood or elephant's tusks or wicker work for that oriental touch. According to Peter Tham, owner of Pete's furniture, "When customers visit our showroom, we do not convince them to buy it. We tell them to sit and decide for themselves whether it is comfortable or not. The product speaks for itself."

Streamlined shape

Rocking chairs are available in different sizes: standard, medium and large. Not all chairs suit a person. The level of comfort depends on the build and the posture of the person. The main rule that every craftsman follows is to keep the shape streamlined so that the curve maintains an accurate balance in order to rock smoothly.

Kamini Bhasim, owner of East distributions in Forum Mall, opines: "Rocking chairs enable a person to feel at ease by relieving the strain on the back. High head rest and lumbar hand rest facilitates in relaxing the body. The rhythm can be soothing to the mind, body and soul. It is a must have in all homes since apart from comfort, it adds an aesthetic touch to the ambience."

The cost varies from Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 20,000 depending on the finesse of the product. The chairs also come with a warranty period of one to five years.

Amar P. Mangharam, owner of The Vintage shop on Airport Road, says "Maintenance is not a problem with rocking chairs, though it is better to stick to functional and elegant designs as opposed to ones with heavy carving that catch dust."

They also come in funky and colourful patterns for kids.

Ani Krishna, a student of Jyoti Nivas College, says "I have a rocking chair that has upholstered seats and a wooden frame. It is classy. When I am tired I just slump on it. I feel so much at ease."

Chitra Cariappa, a resident of Indiranagar, says "I have a recurring back problem and sitting on a rocking chair gives relief to a certain extent."

Whether one wants to watch TV, read a book or chew peppermint, the rocking chair comes in handy. It also makes for a wonderful birthday gift.

PRIYA MENON

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail